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Patagonia produces high-quality environmentally friendly garments that command significant price premiums. Its environmental mission motivates it not only to donate to environmental causes and reduce the impact of its own production, but also to share its practices with other companies. While pursuing its strong environmental stance, Patagonia maintains a larger gross profit margin than its competitors and is targeting a 10% rate of annual growth in sales. In spring 2010, Patagonia was in the process of implementing a new, radical environmental initiative called "Product Lifecycle Initiative" (PLI). This initiative represented a holistic commitment to lengthen the lifecycle of each product and reduce landfill waste. It constituted Patagonia's efforts to take responsibility for the products it made, "from birth to death and then beyond death, back to rebirth." The initiative consisted of a mutual contract between the company and its customers to "reduce, repair, reuse, and recycle" the apparel that they consumed.

learning objective:

This case invites students to understand a unique type of business model, assess its sustainability, and evaluate innovative ways to compete.

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In 2012, Syngenta, one of the world's largest agricultural input company, committed to build a $1 billion business in Africa over the next 10 years. In mid-2014, CEO Michael Mack and Africa Venture Team head Dimitri Pauwels are reviewing progress. Was the company's committment to Africa still relevant and achievable?

learning objective:

To help students gain an understanding of the seed and crop protection industries. To provide insight into Africa's agricultural potential and the challenges to realizing it. To consider how novel organizational design (in this case, a special "Africa Venture Team") can be used inside a traditional company structure.

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The Dutch company HEINEKEN, one of the leading global brewers known for its brands like Heineken, Amstel, or Desperados and for its award-winning marketing campaigns, seeks to closely integrate its long-term sustainability "Brewing a Better World"-approach into its corporate strategy. HEINEKEN had set itself ambitious 2015 and 2020 sustainability targets in six pillar areas around Energy/CO2, Water, Sustainable Sourcing, Responsible Consumption, Community/Inclusive Growth, and Health & Safety. The case zooms in on HEINEKEN's efforts in the sustainable sourcing pillar, with its work on farming standards and supplier code as well as its support for local sourcing programs in the growing African market. HEINEKEN's management finds that marketing its achievements in these sustainability areas poses new challenges though. For example, its current "mass-balance" sourcing in which sustainable and traditional material got mixed in the supply chain did not allow for effective communication on a given bottle. But was this reason enough to try to move to "segregated" sourcing, if that was even reasonable?

learning objective:

To have students examine the sustainability program of a global company and discuss how to deal with potential trade-offs in cases where sustainability and economic goals may not clearly align. Students are also prompted to think about how efforts in this area could be more effectively communicated as part of a company's marketing strategy. Through the case, students will also get a better understanding more generally of the various challenges inherent in managing a global supply chain, and of the advantages and challenges related to local sourcing.

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To maximize their effectiveness, color cases should be printed in color.

Patagonia produces high-quality environmentally friendly garments that command significant price premiums. In Spring 2010, Patagonia rolled out a new, radical environmental initiative called "Product Lifecycle Initiative" (PLI), which was committed to lengthening the lifecycle of each product and reducing landfill waste. This case provides an update on Patagonia's PLI as well as on other company environmental and social commitments.

learning objective:

To engage students in discussion over private/market provision of public goods and questions related to product scope.

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This case examines world fertilizer markets from the perspective of a large Norwegian producer. The global fertilizer industry is critical to food production and to food security, and hence is the object of numerous forms of government intervention. The case analyzes questions of business strategy within this politically charged economic environment.

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The (A) case describes the launch of a new passenger vehicle in China, produced jointly by Nissan of Japan and by Chinese automaker Dongfeng. Early sales results following the April 2012 launch were disappointing and the joint venture's managers had to decide how to respond. The case includes information on the structure of the industry, on government regulation, and on the preferences of Chinese purchasers of automobiles, including information about environmental considerations. The short (B) case, designed for distribution in class, describes further complications, as an international dispute between the Japanese and Chinese governmenbs created further uncertainties for Chinese consumers and hence for the carmakers. The (C) case concludes the story; it too can be distributed in class.

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The (A) case describes the launch of a new passenger vehicle in China, produced jointly by Nissan of Japan and by Chinese automaker Dongfeng. Early sales results following the April 2012 launch were disappointing and the joint venture's managers had to decide how to respond. The case includes information on the structure of the industry, on government regulation, and on the preferences of Chinese purchasers of automobiles, including information about environmental considerations. The short (B) case, designed for distribution in class, describes further complications, as an international dispute between the Japanese and Chinese governments created further uncertainties for Chinese consumers and hence for the carmakers. The (C) case concludes the story; it too can be distributed in class.

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The (A) case describes the launch of a new passenger vehicle in China, produced jointly by Nissan of Japan and by Chinese automaker Dongfeng. Early sales results following the April 2012 launch were disappointing and the joint venture's managers had to decide how to respond. The case includes information on the structure of the industry, on government regulation, and on the preferences of Chinese purchasers of automobiles, including information about environmental considerations. The short (B) case, designed for distribution in class, describes further complications, as an international dispute between the Japanese and Chinese governments created further uncertainties for Chinese consumers and hence for the carmakers. The (C) case concludes the story; it too can be distributed in class.

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To maximize their effectiveness, color cases should be printed in color.

From modest beginnings as a cashew trader in Nigeria, Olam, founded by Indian nationals in 1989, has grown into a leading global agricultural trading company, with annual revenues of $14 billion. The company recently has begun investing in farms and in the production of packaged goods, shifting from its traditional focus on the midstream of the value chain. The case raises questions involving competitive positioning, corporate strategy, sustainable development, and the management of business and political risk.

learning objective:

Understand the changes that are occurring in the value chains for agricultural commodities and the resultant opportunities for firms. Understand the costs and benefits of increasing vertical, horizontal, and geographic scope within the firm. Explore the relationships between sustainable development and company strategy. Examine and evaluate firm strategies for managing business risk in commodities, including price risk, counterparty risk, holdup risk, and political risk. Consider the roles of leadership and corporate culture in creating and maintaining strategic advantage.

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This case is about Colbun, Chile's second largest electricity generator, which is facing significant uncertainty regarding the cost and availability of alternative energy sources. Problems with the contracted supply of natural gas and the volatility of oil prices, coupled with pressure from collective activists, force Colbun to revise its business strategy and its sourcing mix. The case also deals with the pros and cons of various energy sources in view of their perceived environmental impact. The company's CEO, Bernardo Larrain Matte, has to take all these different considerations into account when planning Colbun's future, especially in the light of new opportunities and challenges posed by global climate change. The case analyzes the operations of Colbun to illustrate the complexities associated with conducting business under the influence of global energy markets, political uncertainty, and environmental activism.

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